10 natural ways to boost collagen for glowing skin

Role of Collagen inSkincare

Collagen is a popular supplement for athletes, health gurus, as well as skinfluencers. Collagen is the mostabundant protein in the human body. It provides strength to all yourconnective tissues including muscles, joints,ligaments,eyes,blood vessels, and skin.Collagen fibers are like building blocks or scaffolding for your skin; they build upon each other to create a sturdy support system and keep the skin firm and tight.

An unfortunate part of theaging process is that after our mid-twenties,collagen synthesis begins to slow (about 1.5% per year). For women,collagen levels take a steep decline after menopause. Not only that,sun exposure andfree radicals can damage ourfibroblasts (theskin cells which produce collagen and other fibers) and make us produce evenless collagen. The effect is not only that our joints tend to ache and feel less springy, but ourskin elasticity decreases, causing the skin to become thinner and formfine lines and wrinkles, making theskin look dull and dry.

Signs of collagen deficiency

Signs of aging correlate strongly with collagen deficiency, but they can also be present in young healthy individuals. Common signs that your body is lacking in collagen include:

• Wrinkles
• Sagging skin
• Lost elasticity
• Fine lines
• Dry and dull skin
• Aching joints
• Inability to gain/retain muscle mass
• Gastrointestinal issues

Luckily, whether a collagen deficiency is affecting your skin, joints, or both,boosting yourcollagen synthesis is fairly straightforward.

Restore & boost collagen production

There's no question that collagen is crucial for yourskin health, but what manyskincare companies fail to tell you is that collagen molecules are too big to penetrate the skin's barrier. While topical formulas may help withhydration, that expensive,anti-aging, collagen-infused moisturizer skinfluencers say youneed, is no more effective than your run-of-the-mill drug store moisturizer! The best way to give your skin that same youthful glow you had before,or protect your skin against the common signs of aging is to approach it from the inside out.

• Boost yourhyaluronic acid intake: Hyaluronic acid is found in almost every cell of our bodies. It works hand in hand with collagen by enhancing itsbioavailability, or the body’s ability to produce and use collagen. If you want to usehyaluronic acid forcollagen synthesis, look for foods that are rich inamino acids such as beans and soy.
• Try acollagen supplement:Collagen is naturally produced in the human body, but this tends to slow with age. Unlike other good-for-your-skin vitamins, likevitamin A and C which can be found in many different foods, collagen is found mostly within animal skin and bones. That means unless you're known to gnaw on some chicken tendons, you're probably not getting enough collagen from your diet alone. Highlybioavailablecollagen supplements, which include both marine and bovinecollagenpeptides, have been found tostimulate further collagenandelastin production within the body. So, adding a little collagen to your diet, say in yourcoffee,smoothie, oatmeal, or energy bars, means producing more collagen down the line to combat the signs of aging.
• Get plenty ofvitamin C:Similar tohyaluronic acid,vitamin C makes the collagen in our bodies more effective and supports the production of newcollagen formation. Becausevitamin C is a powerfulantioxidant, it can help to protect your body's collagen from oxidative damage. It also stimulates the production of new collagen! Our advice? Eat plenty ofcitrus fruit,bell peppers,blueberries, andleafy greens or blend them together into ahealthy skin smoothie with ahighly bioavailablevitamin C supplement.
• Useretinol and retinoids:Retinol is another common,topical, anti-aging product that can boost your skin'scollagen production, while blocking certainenzymes from hurting your collagen stores. Just remember to take it slow as retinols can be irritating to many skin types. In addition, some retinolswon't counteract with other ingredients in yourskincare products.
• Usesunscreen:This might not get yourcollagen levels up, but it will protect the collagen your body has already produced from being damaged, and reduce the risk of developing other signs of sun damage and aging. SPF is the way!
• Eat a colorful diet:Collagen can be harder to find in your diet than otherhealthy skin vitamins and minerals. But, by eating a colorful diet with plenty of protein, you can naturally boost your body'scollagen levels. In addition to eatingvitamin C-rich fruits and veggies, try to includeegg whites,bone broth, and fish in your diet.
• Use aloe vera:A2015 study in "Clinical, Cosmetic, and InvestigationalDermatology" showed that consuming a specific aloe vera extract increased the amount ofhyaluronic acid and collagen within the skin.

• Become a ginseng tea drinker:Another study done in 2012 showed that ginseng has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties that can protect against skin aging and may stimulate collagen production.
• Microdermabrasion:Microdermabrasionis a sure-fire way to increase collagen for the short run. In this facial procedure, crystals are used to exfoliate the skin and stimulate collagen for skin repair. The trouble is, effects are short lived and the cost of procedures can add up! Toboost the effects of your procedure and increase collagen for the long run, we recommend taking ahigh-qualitycollagen supplement and avoiding oxidative stress (from the sun, processed foods, and smoking) whenever possible.
• Drink lots of water:It sounds simple but most of us don’t get enough. In addition to theamino acids proline, lysine, and glycine, water is an integral component of collagen proteins; water accounts for about60 percent of the substance by weight. To make your skin more hydrated, free of blemishes, and bright, be sure to drink plenty of water. Pro-tip: Try adding acollagen supplement to your water! If you choose an unflavored, cleancollagen supplement, you will barely even notice the difference! You can use the free app “Daily Water Tracker Reminder” to do just that - it will track your water consumption and send helpful reminders for you to drink more throughout the day!

Article References:

1. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317151#Ways-to-boost-collagen
2. https://nakednutrition.com/blogs/wellness/collagen-deficiency-symptoms
3. https://hintmd.com/lets-talk-about-collagen-and-elastin/